Fire escape



Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES 'y PATENTv OFFICE l FIRE ESCAPE Francis Edward Rose, Drexel Hll,` Pa.V

Application November 24, 1947, Serial No. 787,703

6 Claims. 1 The present invention relates in general to i'lre escape devices, and more particularly to re escapes of the type adapted to occupy a small area within the rooms of a building near exterior openings in the wall thereof, and adapted to individually lower persons suspended from the device from the exterior -opening to the ground at a safe rate of descent.

Emergency re escapes for public buildings oi' several floors height, particularly hotels and large professional buildings, capable of providing auxiliary means for the 4occupants of the buildings to reach the ground from the upper floors of the building safely, normally are of the suspended ladder type mounted along the sides of the buildings and permanently or pivotally positioned to provide communication for the occupants from one oor to the other or progressively to the ground. These types, howeven'because of the large space along the side of the building occu-l pied, must be limited in number on any single wall of the building, requiring that persons desiring to use such fire escapes must proceed to central points on any given floor by the internal passages through the building to gain access to the fire escape, rendering such fire escapes inaccessible to some of the occup-ants of the building should any -oi the internal building passages be blocked by nre or other means, even though the rooms occupied by such occupants may at that time n-ot be immediately threatened by the fire. Use oi such types of fire escapes is also unpopular because of the unsightliness of the ladder devices suspended alongside the exterior walls of the buildings.

Due to the large number of fatalities resulting from res in public buildings, provided with the conventional types of fire escapes permanently suspended along the walls of the buildings, due apparently to the occupants of the buildings tinding the access passages to the xed re escapes blockedpand thus being denied any safe means of reaching the ground from the upper iloors of such buildings, the need for some type of in- -dividual fire escape capable of being retained ready for use in a small -space and of relatively small cost outlay, has become apparent, so that such units may be provided in each room or near each external exit or opening of the building in readiness for use from that point.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a novel iire escape -device capable of being contained within a small space ready for use vto individually lower' persons suspended i therefrom from an exterior opening in the wall of a building t-o the ground.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel fire escape unit normally containable in a small space ready yfor use to permit a plurality of such units to be mounted adjacent exterior openings of a building, which units are capable of lowering individually, persons suspended from the unit t-o the ground level without injury.

Another object of the presentinvention is the provisionl of a novel lire escape unit -of such character as to permit a plurality of such units to be disposed adjacent the exterior upper door openings of a building and capable of automatically lowering pers-ons suspended therefrom from such upper oor openings to the ground at a controlled decelerating rate of descent.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel fire escape unit normally of such size to permit the units to be conveniently disposed internally of the building adjacent each upper floor external opening of .the building walls ready for use, and capable of automatically lowering persons suspended therefrom from such openings to a level near the ground at ay controlled decelerating rate, and substantially abruptly increasing the rate of deceleration from such level near the ground over the remaining descent to the ground level.

Other objects, -advantages and capabilities of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing only a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire escape unit embodying the presenty invention, showing the reiescape disposed in a housing permanently mounted below an exterior window of a building;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section view of the fire escape unit and housing, taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section view of the fire escape unit and housing, taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2. Y

The present invention in general comprises drum means havinga stepped core oi' at least two different diameters mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis within housing means, governor means operatively coupled to the drum means, through speed reduction gearing means, for maintaining the speed of rotation of the drum means constant when torque is applied to the drum means, and cable means wound upon and secured to the stepped core of the drum means having harness means disposed on the free end thereof adapted to -t over and suspend a person from the line and the drum means coupled thereto, the drum and governor coupled thereto permitting the cable to be played out at a decreasing rate on application of torque to the ydrum when a person is suspended from the cable until the cable is wound off of the drum to the diameter of the larger porti-on of the core, after which fur-ther unwinding of the drum produces a substantially abrupt reduction` in the amount of a corresponding abrupt decrease in the rateof descent of the persons suspended from the cable.

When the length of the cable for the unit is adjusted to substantially equal the 'distance from the window or opening with which the unit is associated to the ground less approximately ve feet, a person suspended innthe harness may be lowered at a constantly decelerating rate of descent from the window to a point nearv the ground, and then automatically brought almost .to a stop, by reason of the reduced diameter drum, with no danger of injury due to'shock from abrupt contactwith'the ground at the lower end of the cable.

The -invention will be more'fully understood from the following detail description of the drawing, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures. All the components of the lire escape unit are adapted to be normally disposed in a housing I forming a receptable adapted Ato be secured to the side wall II of a room adjacent the 'exterior window, indicated at I2, either to the side of or immediately beneath the window' I2, to render the unit readily accessibleV for immediate use to permit safe escape." A similar device 'willbe provided for each exterior window of the building, each occupying little space and obviating the necessity of a large number of .unsightlyaddertype re lescape structure to handle' the same number of persons adequately. The housing I0 is formed of a vertically disposed base plate mem-k ber I3 having holes I4 at the four corners thereof to receive mounting bolts I4' to secure the base I 3 to the wall II, a sheet metal member extending outwardly and then upwardly from the bottom of the base plate I3 to form the bottom I 5 and front IB of the receptacle housing I0. At one side of the receptacle, a pair of spa-ced metal plates I'I andIB, forming brackets, are secured to the base plate I3 to extend perpendicularly to the base plate I3 in parallel'vertical planes, the outer of the two plates Il forming oneof the endsof the receptacle and the spaced pair I'I and I8 forming mounting brackets for the drum means and a portion of the reduction gear -trainto be later described. The inner plate or bracket I8, together with a sheet metal end plate I 9 and horizontal partition form a closed compartment for the gear train.

The ends II and I9 for the receptacle housing I0 are disposed inwardly from the lateral edges of the base plate I3 and the holes I4 therein to leave a mounting flange at each end-of the unit. The sheet metal members forming the sides and ends of the receptacle housing I0 may be turned at their adjacent edges to provide flange faces, as indicated at 2|, to be secured lush with the surface of the adjoining member as by brazing or welding. A sheet metal cover or 'top"22 is pivotally secured to the ends 'Iand I9 by means of pivot pins 23 through turned edges 24 ofthe 4 cover 22, along a, horizontal axis adjacent the top edge of the front I6 of the housing I0, permitting the cover to open from the rear or adjacent the base plate I3.

Mounted within the compartment dened by the brackets I1 and I8 to rotate on a horizontal axis, is a drum or spool member, generally indicated at 25, formed of a stepped core 26 of substantially cylindrical conguration having a larger diameter portion 2'! and a smaller diameter portion 28 secured to a shaft 29 journaled in journal boxes 30 and 30 disposed in the brackets cable payed out per revolution of the drum and I: "and 3' respectively and a pan' of disk mem' bers 3l, 3l forming sides for the spool member 25 secured to the ends of the core 26. A cable 32 formed of wire or substantially lre-proofed ber rope of small diameter and sulcient strength to support a load greater than the weight of any person who may employ the device, is secured to the core 25 at one end of the smaller diameter portion 28, and wound around the smaller core section 23 until the coil of cable becomes ofthe diameter of the larger core portion 2l, after` which the cable is wound progressively across the entire length of the core 2B between the sides 3 I, 3 I of the drum member 25. Appropriate harness lmeans 33, such as a rope loop or other means adapted to t over the body of the person to be lowered thereby and conveniently couple him to the cable 32, is formed at the free end of the cable and when the cable is fully wound about the drum 25, is disposed in the portion of the housing I0 overlying the partition 23 and below the cover 22.

The components ,for controlling the speed of rotation of the drum 25 when unwinding the cable 32 therefrom to lower the person suspended in the harness 33, are all housed in the compartment formed by bottom I5 of housing I 0, horizontal partition 20, and the yvertical plates I8 and I9. A bevel gear 35 is-keyed or otherwise rigidly secured on the shaft 29 to rotate with the drum 25, and is provided with peripheral teeth angularly disposed thereon to engage the teeth on a bevel gear 36 mounted to rotate freely on a shaft 31 fixed to journal plate 38 secured to the bottom I5 of the housing II) and ush therewith. A tubular shaft 33 is likewise disposed in the shaft 31, and is integral vwith both the bevel gear 3B and a gear 40 to transmit torque from the bevel gear 35 to the' gear 40. An idler gear 4I mounted on a stub shaft 42, is intercoupled between the spur gear 43 and a spur gear 43 mounted on a shaft 44 journaled for rotation between mounting plate 38 and an upper mounting plate 45 secured to the horizontal partition 20. A substantially larger diameter spur gear 46 is likewise fixed to the shaft 44 to engage a small diameter gear 4l on shaft 4 8, likewise journaled for rotation in the mounting plates 38 and 45 having acorresponding spur gearyd fixed thereon, coupled with a gear 50 mounted on governor shaft 5I journaled in the mounting plates. The governor is of typical centrifugal governor contruction, comprising a heading member `52 xedto the shaft 5I and having diametrically `opposed radial slots 53 therein,

through which pivot pins 53' are disposed to pivotally couple governor arms 54, 54' thereto. The governor arms 54, 54 have weights 55 mounted on the free endsthereof to draw the arms into radially extending position'approaching the horizontal plane through their pivots, due to centrifugal force acting thereon as the speed of rotation of the shaft 5I is increased. The inner or pivoted ends of the arms'f54, v54' are provided with inwardly l disposed veccentric cam surfaces I adapted toabut against fthe inner surface of the slots 53 when the orientation of the' arms 54, 54' reaches a predetermined angle to limit further upward movement of the arms and thus to effect regulation of the speed of the governor shaft 5i and the drum shaft 29 positively coupled therewith, to maintain'the speed of rotation of all positively coupled components constant in the adjusted governor speed. i y f l Thus, the torque generated in the shaft 29 when. the drum 25 is-rotated by the weight of the person suspendedl from the cable 32, will betransmitted through the bevel gears 35 and 36, and spur gears 40,4' ll and-52, to shaft 44, thence through gears 4K6 'and 4l to 'shaft 48, and through intercoupled gears 119 and tofthe governor shaft 5l and arms 54, 54', so that sufficient drag is imposed by thefcentrifug'a'l force'generated during rotation of the governor and applied to the speed reduction gearing network from the governor to the drum 25- to maintain, the speed ofthe drumshaft 25 constant, the speed oi descentof the cable 32 therefore progressively decreasing due to the constant reduction in Aeie'ctive diameter of the drum 25, as the cable 32 is unwound therefrom.-

. Operation `of the device is thus rendered duly automatic-and safe. The person employing the iire escape device need only put on the harness 33, kept readily available lying on the horizontal platform'V 23 underneath the' cover 22, andlower' himself from the sill of theexteriorwindow ofthe building from which he desires to escape, the drum 25 defining the coil of cable 32 unwinding under the force of the weight of the person suspended from the cable 32, and the speed of rotation of the drum shaft 29 being maintained constant through the regulatory action of the governor and the train of speed reduction gear coupled between the drum 25 and the governor. The speed of rotation of the shaft 29 being maintained constant, there will be a progressive deceleration of the rate of descent of the bottom end of the cable S2, and the harness 33, due to the progressively reducing diameter of the coil of cable 32 on drum 25. This deceleration occurs in accordance with the unwinding of layers of the cable 32 rather than with each revolution of the drum 25, so that the average rate of descent is markedly increased after the coil of cable unwinds down to the diameter of the large diameter portion 21 of the drum core 25, the smaller width of the small diameter core portion 28 on which the remainder of the cable 32 is wound, of the order of only several diameters of cable in Width, requiring only a few revolutions of the shaft 29 to unwind one layer of cable, and the length of cable per layer payed out on rotation of the drum at this portion being considerably less than that toward the outer portion of the drum. This will be eiective to so reduce the speed of descent of the person suspended from the cable as he nears the ground as to progressively stop all descent with substantially no shock to the passenger.

It will be apparent from the above description that a novel re escape device capable of safely lowering persons individually from a building opening without injury to the person from abrupt changes in rate of descent, and adapted to be employed in large numbers in any convenient small space available near exterior openings in the building, has been devised, this -device being particularly adaptable for use in large numbers in existing building structures to provide adequate individual escape facilities.

While but one particular embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and de: scribed, it is distinctly understood that the ine vention is not limited thereto, but that various modifications may be made therein without def.- parting from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, thereiore, that only such limitations shallv be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and are set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I'claim:

l. A fire escape device adapted to safely lower persons from the upper floors ofbuildings to they ground, comprising drum means mounted for roe tation and having'a stepped core of at least two different diameters, cable means secured to said core and adapted to be coupled at its free end to the'person to be lowered, said cable being Wound in=progressivelayers about the smaller diameter portion of 'said core forming a coil of the diameter of said larger diameter portion of said core and then wound by layers over the total length of said core forming a coil surrounding and con tiguous .with said first mentioned coil, and means operative to maintain'the speed of rotation of said drum means substantially constant.

` A re escape device adapted `to safely lower persons from the upper floors of buildings to the ground comprising, drum means mounted for rotation and having a stepped core of at least two distinct diameters, cable means secured to said core and adapted to be coupled at its free end to the person to be lowered, said cable means-bee ing wound in progressive layers about said core forming a coil from the smaller diameter portion to the larger diameter portion of said core, and a second coil surrounding and contiguous with the iirst mentioned coil extending over the whole core, and means coupled with said drum means operative to maintain the speed of rotation of said drum means constant.

3. A fire escape device adapted to automatically lower persons from the upper floors of buildings at a decelerating rate of descent over a substantial initial portion of the travel of the person and producing a material substantially abrupt increase in the rate of deceleration over the latter portion of said travel, comprising drum means mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis and having a stepped core of at least two distinct diameters, cable means secured to said core and adapted to be secured at its free end about the person to be lowered, said cable being wound in progressive layers about the smaller diameter portion of said core until the diameter of the coil formed thereby is equal to the larger diameter ing the speed of rotation of said drum means substantially constant. Y

4. A re escape device adapted to automatically lower persons from the upper floors of buildings at a periodically decelerating rate of descent as the person nears the ground and producing a safe, substantially abrupt increase in the rate of deceleration at a point substantially adjacent the ground, comprising drum means mounted for rotation on a Xed horizontal axis and having a stepped core of at least two distinct diameters, a cable secured to said stepped core and having harness means at the free end of said cable for readily securing the cable about the person to be lowered, said cable being wound in progressive layers about said core forming a -coil from the smaller diameter portion to the larger diameter portion of said core, and a second coil surrounding and contiguous with the first mentioned coil extending over the whole core, and governor means coupled to said drum means operative to maintain the speed of rotation of said drum means substantially constant.

5. A fire escape device for safely lowering persons individually from the upper iioors of buildings to theground comprising, housing means forming a receptacle for the components of said device having mounting means associated therewith for securing said housing means to an internal wall of -a building adjacent an exterior opening in said wall, drum means disposed in said housing mounted for rotation` on a horizontal axis and having a stepped core of at least two distinct diameters, cable means secured to said core and adapted to be coupled at its free end about the person to be lowered, said cable means being 'Wound in progressive layers about said core forming a coil from the smaller diameter portion to the larger diameter portion `of said core, and a .second coil surrounding and contiguous with the .rst mentioned coil extending over the whole core, and means coupled with said drum means operative izo-maintain the speed of rotation of said drum means constant.

6. A iire escape device for safely lowering persons individually from the upper floors of a building to the ground comprising, housing means forming a receptacle for the; components of the device adapted to be mounted on an inner wall 8 of 'the building immediately below a window therein, bracket means within said housing positioning a horizontalshaft on which drum means is rotatably mounted, said drum means having a 5 stepped core of two distinct diameters, a cable `secured to the smaller diameter portion of said core and having harness means formed at the free end thereof adapted to couple the cable about the person to be lowered, said cable being 10 wound in progressive layers about said core vforming a coil from the smaller diameter portion to the larger diameter portion of said core, and a second coil surrounding and contiguous with the iirst mentioned coil extending over the whole core,

15 and governor means within said housing coupled through speed reduction gearing means to said drum means operative to maintain the speed of rotation of said drum Vmeans constant.

FRANCIS EDWARD ROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

